It's the same thing I see in the summer where there are 17 different swimming events. So 17 events, mens + womens, bronze/silver/gold, and they're handing out over 100 medals for just swimming (not including synchronized). That can have massive influence on the medal count. Speed skating or any other sport with so many events is no more or less important than any other sport in the Olympics even if it is given an inflated sense of worth.

We just need some creative accounting, start counting actual medals and not just events. Hockey teams get what 23-30 medals each once you count the coaches etc, Curlers get 4-6, this thing is in the bag for whoever wins the Hockey tourney.